⁶ The Lord’s hand^(A) was heavy on the people of Ashdod and its vicinity; he brought devastation^(B) on them and afflicted them with tumors.^[a](C)

¹¹ So they called together all the rulers^(A) of the Philistines and said, “Send the ark of the god of Israel away; let it go back to its own place, or it^[a] will kill us and our people.” For death had filled the city with panic; God’s hand was very heavy on it.